Cons

Scarce nightlife

No major tourist attractions within the Flatiron District; though the Empire State Building is within walking distance

What It's Like

A relatively quiet business district in the center of Manhattan, the Flatiron District lies between Midtown's skyscrapers and museums, Chelsea's art galleries, and the hip bars and restaurants of Gramercy and the East Village. The growth of new online media companies along Broadway -- now known as "Silicon Alley" -- helped to transform the formerly derelict neighborhood over the last two decades. While its "true borders" are open to debate, its heart is clear: the iconic, Beaux-Arts style Flatiron Building (built in 1902) and Madison Square Park, where professionals bask in the sun during their lunch breaks, burger lovers wait in absurdly long lines at the famous Shake Shack, and the Met Life Tower casts its shadow.